Sample ballots now available for City’s Nov. 7 election

Minneapolis voters can now see exactly what their ballots will look like in the Nov. 7 election. Sample ballots for each precinct are available online, and voters can use them to prepare to vote.

To see a sample ballot, go to vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot. A link there connects to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s ballot lookup tool. Any Minneapolis voter can enter an address in the lookup tool to see the sample ballot for that address’ precinct and print it for reference. Candidates are listed in different orders on the ballot in different precincts.

Because this election will use ranked-choice voting, voters are encouraged to download their sample ballots to prepare for Election Day. That way they can review the candidates ahead of time and rank their top three choices. State law permits voters to take marked sample ballots to the polls on Election Day and use them as guides to completing their official ballots.

In the mayor's race, 16 candidates will appear on the ballot. All City Council offices will also be on the ballot. Every ballot across the city will feature two other citywide contests: one for two at-large seats on the Board of Estimate and Taxation, and one for three at-large seats on the Park and Recreation Board. Each ballot will also have its Park and Recreation Board district candidates.

Early voting begins Sept. 22 – request a ballot now

All voters in Minneapolis can choose to vote early. Voting absentee can be done in person at the Early Vote Center, 217 S. Third St., or entirely by mail. If a voter chooses to vote early in person, that can be done beginning Sept. 22 during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours including weekends in the final days before Election Day.

To vote by mail, voters may request a ballot now. Requested ballots will be mailed out beginning Sept. 22 and include everything a voter needs to send back the completed ballot. Visit vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/absentee for ballot applications in multiple languages that can be printed out and mailed in to request a ballot.

Sept. 26 is the third annual National Voter Registration Day

Registering to vote is fast and easy. On Tuesday, Sept. 26, nonprofit organizations and others are leading the country’s third annual National Voter Registration Day, and Minneapolis will take part. Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services will provide materials and support to organizations interested in getting involved in this effort.

For anyone qualified to vote who has never voted before and needs to register, now is the perfect time. If someone has voted before but it’s been more than four years since they last voted, or they’ve moved or changed their names since they last registered, they’ll need to re-register.

Oct. 17 is the deadline for pre-registering in 2017. Voter registrations can be submitted any time and can help ensure a smoother Election Day experience for voters: less time waiting in lines and no need to bring documents on Election Day.

This election uses ranked-choice voting

Minneapolis voters will use ranked-choice voting this fall to elect a mayor and members of the City Council, Board of Estimate and Taxation, and Park and Recreation Board. Ranked-choice voting is a way of voting that eliminates the need for separate primary elections. Voters rank up to three candidates for each office. The ballot has three columns, and choices are made from left to right in those columns. Ranked-choice voting is used only for municipal elections in Minneapolis.

The City has an elections-focused website: vote.minneapolismn.gov. This website is a central place to go for accurate, timely information about this year’s election and ranked-choice voting. The fresh, intuitive design is focused on the user; content on the site is structured around specific audiences such as voters, candidates, volunteers and students.

Published Sep 18, 2017

QUICK LINKS

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